People who bought this also bought...

Magnolia Wednesdays

At 41, Vivian Armstrong Gray's life as an investigative journalist is crumbling. Humiliated after taking a bullet in her backside during an exposé, Vivi learns that she's pregnant, jobless, and very hormonal. This explains why she says "yes" to a dreadful job covering suburban living back home in Georgia, a column she must write incognito. Down South, it's her sister's ballroom dance studio that becomes her undercover spot where she learns about the local life - and where unexpected friendships develop.

The Accidental Bestseller

Once upon a time four aspiring authors met at their very first writers' conference. Ten years later they're still friends, survivors of the ultra-competitive New York publishing world. Mallory St. James is a workaholic whose best sellers support a lavish lifestyle. Tanya Mason is a single mother juggling two jobs, two kids, and too many deadlines. Faye Truett is the wife of a famous televangelist and the author of inspirational romances: No one would ever guess her explosive secret.

A Week at the Lake

Twenty years ago Emma Michaels, Mackenzie Hayes, and Serena Stockton bonded over their New York City dreams. Then, each summer, they solidified their friendship by spending one week at the lake together, solving their problems over bottles of wine and gallons of ice cream. They kept the tradition for years, until jealousy, lies, and life's disappointments made them drift apart. It's been five years since Emma has seen her friends, an absence designed to keep them from discovering a long-ago betrayal. Now she's in desperate need of their support.

Slightly South of Simple: Peachtree Bluff, Book 1

Caroline Murphy swore she'd never set foot back in the small Southern town of Peachtree Bluff; she was a New York girl born and bred and the worst day of her life was when, in the wake of her father's death, her mother selfishly forced her to move - during her senior year of high school, no less - back to that hick-infested rat trap where she'd spent her childhood summers.

Breakfast at the Beach House Hotel

When Ann Rutherford's husband dumps her for the bimbo in his office, unfairly leaving her without a home or a job, she reluctantly joins forces with Rhonda DelMonte to convert Rhonda's Florida seaside estate into the small upscale hotel it once was. Ann, quiet and reserved, is no match for brash, bossy Rhonda, who left the family's New Jersey butcher business after she won the Florida lottery.

Secrets in Summer: A Novel

Memorial Day weekend means that seasonal visitors have descended on the glamorous island of Nantucket. For year-round resident Darcy Cotterill, it means late-night stargazing in the backyard of the beautiful house she grew up in and inherited from her beloved grandmother. It's also Darcy's chance to hit the beach and meet her new summertime neighbors. But the last person the thirty-year-old librarian expects to see staying next door is her ex-husband, Boyz, along with his wife, Autumn, and stepdaughter, Willow.

The Summer That Made Us

A television talk show host returns to her childhood summer home to rebuild her life after she's fired for falling ratings. The return is bittersweet as the house has been neglected for years. She's flooded with memories of the wonderful summers she spent with her sisters and cousins before a tragic event changed everything. Working to uncover what really happened the last summer they were all together, she reaches out to her family and the women all gather for an uneasy family reunion.

Beach Colors: A Novel

While renowned designer Margaux Sullivan was presenting her highly praised collection during New York City's Fashion Week, her husband was cleaning out their bank account. A week after he disappeared, the bank foreclosed on Margaux's apartment and business. Suddenly broke, betrayed, and humiliated, Margaux has nowhere else to turn to but home: the small coastal town of Crescent Cove, Connecticut, where she once knew love, joy, and family before she put them behind her on the climb to fame.

The Beach House

Caretta Rutledge thought she’d left her Southern roots and troubled family far behind. But an unusual request from her mother – coming just as her own life is spinning out of control – has Cara heading back to the scenic Lowcountry of her childhood summers. Before long, the rhythms of the island open her heart in wonderful ways as she repairs the family beach house, becomes a bona fide “turtle lady” and renews old acquaintances long thought lost.

Lowcountry Boil: A Liz Talbot Mystery

Liz Talbot is a modern Southern belle: she blesses hearts and takes names. She carries her Sig 9 in her Kate Spade handbag, and her golden retriever, Rhett, rides shotgun in her hybrid Escape. When her grandmother is murdered, Liz high-tails it back to her South Carolina island home to find the killer. But when her police-chief brother shuts her out of the investigation, she opens her own. Then her long-dead best friend pops in and things really get complicated.

The Beach at Painter's Cove: A Novel

The Whitaker family's Connecticut mansion, Muses by the Sea, has always been a haven for artists, a hotbed of creativity, extravagances, and the occasional scandal. Art patrons for generations, the Whitakers supported strangers but drained the life out of each other. Now, after being estranged for years, four generations of Whitaker women find themselves once again at the Muses. Leo, the Whitaker matriarch, lives in the rambling mansion.

Lost and Found Sisters

After losing her sister in a devastating car accident, chef Quinn Weller is finally getting her life back on track. She appears to have it all: a loving family, a dream job in one of LA's hottest eateries, and a gorgeous boyfriend dying to slip an engagement ring on her finger. So why does she feel so empty, like she's looking for a missing piece she can't find?

The Identicals: A Novel

Harper Frost is laid back, easygoing. She doesn't care what anyone thinks of her. She likes a beer and a shot and wouldn't be caught dead wearing anything fashionable. She's inherited her father's run-down house on Martha's Vineyard, but she can't hold down a job, and her latest romantic disaster has the entire island talking. Tabitha Frost is dignified, refined. She prefers a fine wine and has inherited the impeccable taste of her mother, the iconic fashion designer Eleanor Roxie-Frost.

The Night the Lights Went Out

Recently divorced, Merilee Talbot Dunlap moves with her two children to the Atlanta suburb of Sweet Apple, Georgia. It's not her first time starting over, but her efforts at a new beginning aren't helped by an anonymous local blog that dishes about the scandalous events that caused her marriage to fail.

On Second Thought

Ainsley O'Leary is so ready to get married - she's even found the engagement ring her boyfriend has stashed away. What she doesn't anticipate is for Eric to blindside her with a tactless breakup he chronicles in a blog - which (of course) goes viral. Devastated and humiliated, Ainsley turns to her half sister, Kate, who's already struggling after the sudden loss of her new husband.

Bonny Blankenship's most treasured memories are of idyllic summers spent in Watersend, South Carolina, with her best friend, Lainey McKay. Now in her early 50s, Bonny is desperate to clear her head after a tragic mistake threatens her career as an emergency room doctor, and her marriage crumbles around her. With her troubled teenage daughter, Piper, in tow, she goes back to the beloved river house, where she is soon joined by Lainey and her two young children.

Fat Fridays

When Sukie's husband shacks up with her Pilates instructor, her domestic drama becomes the talk of her small Georgia town. Friends from her married life prove fickle, and Sukie hides at home, terrified of encountering the town gossips at the grocery store. Betsy, Sukie's neighbor, invites her to join "Fat Fridays", a weekly gathering at a local café where the women order whatever they crave - no calories counted. Over sausage pizza and sage advice, Sukie gets a grip on her new life.

The Book of Summer: A Novel

Physician Bess Codman has returned to her family's Nantucket compound, Cliff House, for the first time in four years. Her great-grandparents built Cliff House almost a century before, but due to erosion, the once-grand home will soon fall into the sea. Though she's purposefully avoided the island, Bess must now pack up the house and deal with her mother, a notorious town rabble-rouser, who refuses to leave.

The Forever Summer

Marin Bishop has always played by the rules, and it's paid off: On the cusp of 30, she has a handsome fiancé, a prestigious Manhattan legal career, and her father's hard-won admiration. But with one careless mistake at work, Marin suddenly finds herself unemployed and alone. Before she can summon the courage to tell her parents, a young woman appears, claiming to be Marin's half sister. Seeking answers, Marin agrees to join her on a soul-searching journey to Cape Cod, to meet the family she didn't even know she had.

The Land of Mango Sunsets

Meet Miriam Elizabeth Swanson, in a full-blown snit, buoyed by a fabulous cast who run the gamut from insufferable to wonderful. First is the arrival of Liz Harper, Miriam's tenant from Birmingham, who sets a new cycle in motion. Then her other tenant, Kevin, a stalwart companion with more style than Cary Grant, shakes Miriam out of her fog to see which battles are worth the fight. Next, her estranged son announces he's marrying a Jamaican woman. And what about her ex-husband, Charles, and that sordid lingerie model of his?

The Talking Tree: The Hartwell Women, Book 1

Following her estranged mother's death, Marissa Cole returns to her hometown. Her mother has left a request for Marissa to scatter her ashes in New Hope, Maine. Marissa doesn't understand why; she's never heard her mother talk of such a place. In Maine, Marissa is thrilled to discover a family she never knew she had. But the family isn't what she thought, and helping her grandmother keep her share of the family fortune might cause Marissa to lose the only man she's ever trusted enough to love.

Secrets of the Tulip Sisters

Kelly Murphy's life as a tulip farmer is pretty routine - up at dawn, off to work, lather, rinse, repeat. But everything changes one sun-washed summer with two dramatic homecomings: Griffith Burnett - Tulpen Crossing's prodigal son, who's set his sights on Kelly - and Olivia, her beautiful, wayward, and, as far as Kelly is concerned, unwelcome sister. Tempted by Griffith, annoyed by Olivia, Kelly is overwhelmed by the secrets that were so easy to keep when she was alone.

My Kind of You: Trillium Bay, Book 1

Emily Callaghan never expected to spend another summer on Wenniway Island. Yet here she is, back in her quaint northern Michigan hometown of Trillium Bay, divorced, flat broke, and dragging along her precocious 12-year-old. It's a simple arrangement: Emily, a house flipper, will renovate one of her grandmother's rental properties in exchange for a much-needed loan. Once a wild child, the reformed Emily also hopes to remodel her reputation and show her family she's all grown up.

Deep Dish: A Novel

Chef extraordinaire Gina Foxton doesn't expect anything to be handed to her on a platter. After years of hard work, the former runner-up Miss Teen Vidalia Onion is now the host of her own local Georgia public television show called Fresh Start, and she's dating the show's producer. But when her show gets canceled - and she catches her boyfriend in flagrante delicto with the boss' wife - Gina realizes that she's meant for bigger and better things. Namely, a gig on national television.

Publisher's Summary

From the author of Ten Beach Road and Ocean Beach, a new novel of four friends - and a shared passion that could change their lives.

When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings of Downton Abbey, four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama, and - even more unexpectedly - with one another....

Samantha Davis married young and for the wrong reason: the security of old Atlanta money - for herself and for her orphaned brother and sister. She never expected her marriage to be complicated by love and compromised by a shattering family betrayal.

Claire Walker is now an empty nester and struggling author who left her home in the suburbs for the old-world charm of The Alexander, and for a new and productive life. But she soon wonders if clinging to old dreams can be more destructive than having no dreams at all.

And then there's Brooke MacKenzie, a woman in constant battle with her faithless ex-husband. She's just starting to realize that it's time to take a deep breath and come to terms with the fact that her life is not the fairy tale she thought it would be.

For Samantha, Claire, Brooke - and Edward, who arranges the weekly gatherings - it will be a season of surprises as they forge a bond that will sustain them through some of life's hardest moments - all of it reflected in the unfolding drama, comedy, and convergent lives of Downton Abbey.

The narrator was incredibly good. All the voices were distinguishable including the male characters. This book was such an enjoyable experience made even more so by the narration. Cannot stress enough what a fantastic job she did. My interest in the series Downton Abbey, was a big drawing point for me initially. Variety of characters that included many different backgrounds, personalities and so forth but the similarities of anybody, (woman or man, although this was very much about being a woman) became a primary theme of the story.How alike rather than different we all are regardless of our backgrounds or life experience was made more apparent as the story went on.

What other book might you compare While We Were Watching Downton Abbey to and why?

It is a good example of a light read but with substance and many plots that intertwined to give the entire book a cohesiveness. Easy to listen to and well written with just enough cliff hanging chapters that made me continue listening. Reminds me of Elizabeth Berg's novels and also Jennifer Weiner but with a serious side that balanced well with the humor infused within the story.

What about Orlagh Cassidy’s performance did you like?

Everything!!! Her portrayal of the concierge who arranges the Sunday night screenings was magnificent! This character set the scene up and provided the outline for the rest of the book. The narration of this character was the best of all the characters in the book. Amazed at the range and accents she is able to use. An incredible narrator. This is the first book I have listened to with this narrator but I will definately look for other books she has narrated.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book ran the gamut of emotions. Many smiles, occasional laugh out loud giggles with serious moments that made me think and question the individual characters. Each of the major characters had their own story with a central theme that all came together very nicely at the conclusion. Wish it was longer but really, the story was complete and finished. Would love a sequel.

Any additional comments?

Although this was not a heavy read, it was a joy to listen to. A well written and extremely well narrated book that I found appealing. As a fan of the Downton abbey series, the book was especially of interest and I could relate to and enjoyed the discussions by the characters about their reactions and questions each time they viewed an episode. The concierge who acted as host each Sunday night was very well developed as a person which added to the development of the others through his interaction with the other characters.All in all I would recommend this book. I felt entertained and enjoyed every moment!

I loved the diversity of the four main characters, their growing pains, and ultimate triumphs.

What was one of the most memorable moments of While We Were Watching Downton Abbey?

After each showing of Downton Abbey, the group has a discussion. While this was not exactly memorable, I enjoyed the comments made by the different characters as it reminded me of scenes from the series.

What about Orlagh Cassidy’s performance did you like?

I thought Ms Cassiday's performance was wonderful. Her accents were spot on and not over the top. The tone and lilt of her voice is quite pleasant, but won't put you to sleep.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were places where I laughed out loud and there were a couple of places that made me cry (some with anger, some with joy).

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are believable and easy to identify with. You can't help but feel you could be friends with all of them. Watching their friendships grow; seeing them discover their own strength and courage, engaged me throughout the book. I would recommend this to all my fellow Downton Abbey addicts.

I have never read anything by Wendy Wax before but the title caught my attention with the mention of Downton Abby. I have enjoyed the series on PBS so was curious about how Wax could make a story about watching the T.V. series. The story takes place in Atlanta in an old famous hotel The Alexander that was remodeled into condos. The concierge service was contracted out to a English man who's family had been "in service" for generation. He decided to have a get together of the tenants to watch Downton Abbey each week and discuss it after along with tea and food items popular in England. He had the servings staff dress up in costumes to look like the staff of Downton Abby. Three women meet and sit together each week and get to know each other. Samantha, the rich old Atlantic money, Claire an empty nester who is taken a year to write a book and Brooke a divorcee with two small children. Samantha's brother, Hunter, is the bad guy in the story. The story has humor, a small amount of drama and human interest to a thin plot line. The story is very easy to listen to and Orlagh Cassidy is super with the accents and developing each person. She really makes the book come alive. I think this book is a perfect example of how important the narrator is to the book.

I started this series as a compromise. I am constitutionally unable to listen to Fantasy and since the choice my listening buddy gave me was either fantasy or chick lit I read this author for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised by the first Wendy Wax I listened to, once I gave it a real chance anyway. This was officially the third book of hers I've read; but the three of them vary only a small amount. There is the woman who is long divorced; the one who just got screwed over by her selfish husband and the one still married, but it's getting shaky. Then there's the unscrupulous criminal younger brother more or less raised by his older sister. Luckily for the author the weakness of her plot is covered very well by the skill in which she creates characters with which it's easy to connect. Schleppy wallflower Brooke's growth during the course of the book is heartwarming; as is Samantha's defense of her friend. The personal weaknesses within each of the characters is well done and makes all of them more interesting and more human. It's an easy listen for women, and men; if you're listen to it with a female that you care about; you might just like it too.

this book was a pleasant listen. for those looking for a good story, probably best to pass on this one, even in the chick lit genre. the plot fairly thin, but unobjectionable. centers around women/friends in their 30s and 40s. i think this book was saved by the narrator, however, who made the book fun just to pass the time.

As a fan of Downton Abbey, the title intrigued me. It was a nice light listen, and the narrator is spot on for the characters. Some books are one time listens, others like this one, you can listen to again and again. It is like a bubble bath, the story takes you away from the hectic barrage of life.

Creative storyline for familiar subject - women changing from one phase of life to another, whether through divorce or empty nest and so on....the ups and downs, good and bad of it all. Loved the setting of the old building in Atlanta and am a easy target for "southern tales". haha I do recommend the book and the narration was lovely, but it did get a bit tedious before it was all over. I had just a little of a hard time believing that Samantha was that "dense" or that Brooke didn't have a clue about how to manage her life after somehow working hard enough for enough years to put her husband through medical school. Or that brilliant wealthy business men would hand Jackson thousands of dollars without ever checking his story out. Some of the issues were just a little "beat to death" as if trying to fill enough pages to call it done. But, enough of that. Again, the story of three women from very different paths coming together to form a bond and support each other, was very enjoyable and the characters were likable. And, as I, too, am a Downton Abbey fan (Of course! That's why I bought this! lol), the link to the series was fun.